Less than one year after completing her service as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Australia Sydney North Mission, Ariel Pearse will compete Saturday, June 4, as a finalist in the Miss World New Zealand pageant.

Pearse was born in New Zealand, but her family moved to Brisbane, Australia, when she was 9. After completing her missionary service in Sydney, she returned to New Zealand.

Although her days are no longer dedicated exclusively to sharing the gospel, she has found that her mission did not end when she returned home. Pearse has continued to have missionary opportunities as the other pageant finalists have commented on her commitment to her faith.